The Mosquito Aircraft Museum is a small volunteer run aviation museum in the English county of Hertfordshire, just north of Greater London. The collection is based around the definitive prototype and restoration shops for the De Havilland Mosquito and also includes several examples of the De Havilland Vampire - the third operational jet aircraft in the world. Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire or Harfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom, officially part of the East of England Government region. ... Greater London is the top level administrative subdivision covering London, England. ... The clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, which contains Big Ben London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... The de Havilland Mosquito (the wooden wonder) was a military aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during World War II. It was a twin engine aircraft with the pilot and navigator sitting side-by-side. ... A Royal Canadian Air Force deHavilland Vampire The de Havilland Vampire, or DH.100, was the second jet engined aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force during WW II, although it never saw combat. ...

The De Havilland Vampire first flew some six months after the Gloster Meteor, which itself came into service only a few weeks after the Messerschmitt Me 262. The De Havilland Vampire however have significantly better reliability, engine service life and a higher ceiling than the Messerschmitt Me 262. The collection also has both a complete De Havilland Comet the world's first Jet Airliner and an excellent original hands-on static simulator for the De Havilland Comet. Also in the collection are unique prototypes including an early tricycle undercarriage autogyro design, Mosquito 'earthquake bombs', and the tremendously powerful fully automatic Molins Gun from the Tsetse Mosquito. A Royal Canadian Air Force deHavilland Vampire The de Havilland Vampire, or DH.100, was the second jet engined aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force during WW II, although it never saw combat. ... The Gloster Meteor was the RAFs first jet fighter aircraft, introduced into service only weeks after the Messerschmitt Me 262 in August 1944. ... The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow) was the first operational jet powered fighter. ... This article deals with the de Havilland Comet jet airliner. ... This article deals with the de Havilland Comet jet airliner. ... An autogyro (only an autogiro when produced by the Cierva Autogiro Company or one of its licensees (see below), sometimes called a gyroplane or Gyrocopterâ„¢) is an aircraft supported in flight by an unpowered rotary wing, or rotor. ...

The Site

The site of the Hall and the Museum is, without doubt, a very old one. It is close to the first century BC settlement of Wheathamstead, the major Roman town of Verulanium and St. Albans which is of late Saxon foundation. [[Image:[[Roman or Romans]]]] has several meanings, primarily related to the Roman citizens, but also applicable to typography, math, and several geographic locations. ... St Albans, St. ... Saxon may refer to: The Saxon people The Anglo-Saxon people Saxon language: Anglo-Saxon language (the ancestor language of English) Lower Saxon language (a variety of Low German) Old Saxon language (the ancestor language of Anglo-Saxon language) Upper Saxon dialect (a variety of High German) An inhabitant of...

Early notable (but unwelcome!) visitors to the area were probably Julius Caesar in 54BC, and Boadicea of the Iceni in 61AD. Bust of Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (Classical Latin: IMP·C·IVLIVS·CAESAR·DIVVS¹) (b. ... Boudicca (also written Boudica, Boadicea, Buduica, Bonduca), was a Celtic female chieftain who led the Iceni and a number of other Celtic tribes, including the neighbouring Trinovantes, in a major uprising against the occupying Roman forces in Britain in AD 60 or 61 during the reign of the emperor Nero. ... The Iceni or Eceni were a Brythonic tribe who inhabited roughly modern-day Norfolk circa 1st century BC to 1st century AD. The territory of the Iceni approximated to the borders of modern-day Norfolk. ...

During the early 9th century the site was part of the Manor of Shenleybury. It was held by Asgar the Stallar, who was probably a high official to the Wessex King Egbert. After the Norman Conquest the Manor passed to the de Mandeville family who held it when the Doomsday Book was written in 1086. Doomsday Book is a novel by Connie Willis. ...

In 1380 the Hall passed in marriage to Sir John Montague, later Earl of Salisbury. It is perhaps at this time that the Manor acquired its now familiar name of Salisbury Hall. About 1420 Alice, Countess of Salisbury, married Sir Richard Neville, who became Earl of Warwick. He had two sons, Richard Neville (better known as Warwick the Kingmaker) and John, Marquis of Montagu, who were both killed at the Battle of Barnet in April 1471. The Earl of Warwick is one of the oldest English earldoms. ...

A new house was built about 1507 by Sir John Cutte, Treasurer to King Henry VII and Henry VIII. The house was purchased in 1668 by James Hoare, a London banker. At this time the present house was built, bringing with it associations with Charles II and Nell Gwynne, who lived in a cottage by the bridge to the Hall. Her ghost is one that is said to have been seen in the Hall. Henry VII (January 28, 1457 – April 21, 1509), King of England, Lord of Ireland (August 22, 1485 – April 21, 1509), was the founder of the Tudor dynasty and is generally acknowledged as one of Englands most successful kings. ... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... Charles II (29 May 1630–6 February 1685) was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 30 January 1649 (de jure) or 29 May 1660 (de facto) until his death. ... Nell Gwyn (or Gwynn or Gwynne), was born Eleanor Gwynne, (February 1650 - 14 November 1687), the most famous of the many mistresses of King Charles II, was called pretty, witty Nell by Samuel Pepys. ...

The Hall passed to Sir Jeremy Snow's nephew, John Snell, and from then through various hands, and during the latter part of the 19th century was occupied by a succession of farmers. However, about 1905 Lady Randolph Churchill, as Mrs. Cornwallis West, came here to live. Her son, Winston Churchill, became a regular visitor. During the 1930s Sir Nigel Gresley, of the London and North Eastern Railway, was in residence. He was responsible for the A4 Pacific Steam Locomotives one of which, Mallard, holds the world speed record for steam locomotives of 126.5 mph. Rumour has it that the name came from the ducks in the moat. The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, FRS PC (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, best known as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. ... Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley (19 June 1876 – 5 April 1941) was one of Britains most famous Steam locomotive engineers who worked for the Great Northern Railway company from 1911 to 1922 as locomotive superintendent and for the London and North Eastern Railway company (LNER) from 1923 to 1941 as... The London and North Eastern Railway or LNER was the second-largest of the Big Four railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain. ... Binomial name Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies (Common Mallard) (Greenland Mallard) (Mexican Duck) The Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, also known in North America as the Wild Duck, is a common and widespread dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and sub-tropical areas of North America, Europe and Asia. ...

In September 1939 the de Havilland Aircraft Company established the De Havilland Mosquito design team in the Hall, the Prototype Mosquito, E0234/W4050, subsequently being built in the adjacent buildings. Nell Gwynne's cottage was the centre of a silk worm farm, which supplied the silk for Her Majesty the Queen's wedding and Coronation robes. Yet another royal connection. De Havillands left in 1947 and the Hall slipped into a derelict condition. The de Havilland Mosquito (the wooden wonder) was a military aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during World War II. It was a twin engine aircraft with the pilot and navigator sitting side-by-side. ...

However, in 1955 the Hall was taken in hand by an ex Royal Marine Major named Walter Goldsmith who restored it and opened it up to the public. He brought back the prototype Mosquito, E0234/W4050, as one of the attractions in 1959, an action which led to the establishment of the Mosquito Aircraft Museum. Walter Goldsmith sold the Hall in 1981 and since then it has been restored to a very high standard and remains in private ownership to this day.

Opening

Access is restricted owing to ongoing aircraft restoration work.

First Sunday of March to last Sunday of October Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays 14:00 - 17:30 Sundays and Bank Holidays 10:30 - 17:30

The collection

The following important historic aircraft are on display or under restoration:

• G-ABLM Cierva C.24 Long term loan from the Science Museum collection
• G-ACSS DH88 Comet-replica Currently under restoration in the workshop
• G-ADOT DH87 Hornet Moth
• G-AFOJ DH94 Moth Minor
• G-AKDW DH89 Dragon Rapide Currently under restoration in the workshop
• G-ANRX DH82 Tiger Moth Crop spraying configuration
• G-AOTI DH114 Heron 2D
• G-AREA DH104 Dove 8 Executive layout
• G-ARYC DH.125 Srs 1 3rd production aircraft
• G-AVFH HS121 Trident 2E Cockpit open to visitors on request
• D-IFSB DH104 Dove 6 Used for airfield calibration
• F-BGNX DH106 Comet 1XB G-AOJT. Complete fuselage, used for tests at Farnborough after withdrawal from service
• VP-FAK DHC3 Otter British Antarctic Survey loan & restoration
• W4050 DH98 Mosquito I prototype
• LF789 Queen Bee
• TA122 DH98 Mosquito FB6 Currently under rebuild in the main hangar
• TA634 DH98 Mosquito TT.35 The film star, flown in '633 Squadron' 571 Sqd markings
• TJ118 DH98 Mosquito TT.35 Rear fuselage only
• WM729 Vampire NF10 Nose section
• WP790 Chipmunk T. 10 Repaint in progress
• WP927 Chipmunk T.10 Currently in storage - Cockpit only
• WR539 Venom FB4 Nose section
• WX853 DH112 Venom NF.3
• XG730 DH112 Sea Venom FAW.22 894 Sqd markings
• XJ565 DH110 Sea Vixen FAW.2 899 Sqd markings
• XJ772 DH115 Vampire T.11
• XK695 DH106 Comet C.2(R) Cockpit section- Amateur Radio Station
• DH106 Comet 2 SIM Nose section
• J-1008 Vampire FB.6 Ex Swiss Air Force
• J-1632 Venom FB.50 Ex G-VNOM - ex Swiss AF. Nose section currently in the workshop
• BAPC.232 Horsa I/II Composite fuselage in Robin hangar

The de Havilland Mosquito (the wooden wonder) was a military aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during World War II. It was a twin engine aircraft with the pilot and navigator sitting side-by-side. ...

External links

• Page at the Virtual Aircraft Museum
• Sea Vixen

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